How to Say Thank You
by Kristen3
Summary: SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES FINALE. After her honeymoon in Paris with Bob, Joy begins thinking about Betty, and her birth mother. Giving up a child is something she knows all too well. One-shot.


**Author's Note:** I'm still emotional over the series finale. But, of course, the idea of Joy and Bob with a child has given me more than a few ideas. They never told us any details about the adoption, or the baby's real family, so I took a bit of liberty on those. I just thought, with Joy's experience, she might be able to help in a way. This was a result, and I can almost guarantee it won't be my last story about little Betty!

Joy couldn't help smiling at the baby in her arms. _My daughter_ , she thought with astonishment. Her honeymoon in Paris with Bob had been lovely. Much better than seeing the city with her girlfriends would have been. Moving to Cleveland had changed her. It had changed all of them, really. Now all four of them were living happily, and enjoying the new relationships they'd found.

Reluctantly, Joy set tiny Elizabeth down in her crib. She didn't know where the name had come from, but she knew she would never call her daughter by her full name. She would be Betty. Already she had Bob wrapped around her finger, and both Melanie and Victoria had begun spoiling her. Even Elka, who was the baby's step-grandmother, seemed to feel some affection for the child.

Yes, Betty would grow up surrounded by love, which was exactly how a child should be raised. But, as happy as she was, Joy still could not help thinking of Betty's birth mother. She had insisted on an open adoption, because she knew only too well the pain of giving up a baby, never knowing his or her fate. To that end, the adoption agency in Vegas had given her the mother's name and address. She was to send pictures and updates on the child over the years, and possibly even arrange a visit. But Joy couldn't think about the future. All she could think of was what mother must be feeling right now. In a strange and fitting twist of fate, Betty was apparently the result of a teenage pregnancy. It was a topic Joy knew all about.

 _Hello. You don't know me_ , Joy began writing. This letter would be difficult, she knew, but it was necessary. She only wished someone had done it for her years ago. _I can't thank you enough for the precious miracle you've given me. I know that everyone says their baby is beautiful and perfect, but this one really is. I hope you don't mind, but the agency shared with me a bit of your story. I know how scary it is to suddenly find yourself pregnant much too soon. The same thing happened to me once, a long time ago. Back then, I thought my life was over. I thought my son's father would stay with me, until I found out otherwise. Then, before I even knew what was happening, my mother forced me to give up rights to my baby. For years, I tried as hard as I could to not think about my son. This led me to make a lot of bad decisions, many of which involved men. It seemed like that one mistake had ruined my whole future._

 _But, fortunately, things did turn around for me. On one of the lowest nights of my life, I met two of my closest friends. Over the years, my girlfriends and I have survived marriages, divorces, and even a move halfway across the country. That move did wonders for all of us, and it eventually led to me not only discovering a new career, but meeting also the man I love. After several years of ups and downs, we finally decided to tie the knot. I had thought the subject of children was out of the question. You see, I'm not as young as I used to be. But my husband desperately wanted to be a father. We got married in very short order, and were then given custody of your precious baby._

 _I know you must be very worried about what will become of your daughter. I can assure you that she will always be loved_ _and taken care of. In addition to my husband and myself, she also has a large, rather crazy, extended family. While they are certainly not perfect by any means, they all love her to pieces._

 _I never got to know my son while he was growing up. He has said very little about the people who raised him. It took me years to find him, but I'm so grateful that I did. He is very happy to be a big brother finally. Because I know how it feels to be on the other side of an adoption, I want you to know that you will certainly be a part of my daughter's life. That is, if you're open to it. This will be an unconventional way to raise a child, but I've never been one to do what's expected._

 _I don't know very much about your circumstances, so I won't attempt to give you any worthless advice. But I want to tell you that I've learned a few things over the past couple of years. One of them is that, even if things haven't gone as you planned, they can still turn out to be wonderful. You never know what's around the corner. A few years ago, I'd never have believed I'd be happily living in Cleveland, much less married with a new baby._

 _I'll certainly understand if you aren't ready to get to know us or your child right away. But please know that, if you ever need anything, I'll help in any way I can. It's the least I can do for all of the happiness you've given me._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Joy Scroggs-Moore_

As she signed her name, Joy couldn't help smiling. No words could ever come close to conveying the gratitude she felt for this baby. As she looked around the house that had been her home for six years, she realized she had far more than a child to be grateful for. These years in Cleveland had been full of surprises. But now, finally, she'd found the place where she belonged. What could ever be a better happy ending than that?

 **The End**


End file.
